Gazpacho

Ingredients

750ml chicken stock

750g large full-flavoured red ripe tomatoes

2 small red capsicum

2 small continental cucumbers

½ small red onion

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2tsp salt

85ml sherry vinegar

1.25 lt tomato juice

1 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)

8 ice cubes

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

5 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

Half fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Using a Wusthof 12cm Utility knife carefully cut a shallow cross in the bottom end of each tomato. Place tomatoes in boiling water and leave for 1 minute. Remove tomatoes and place directly into a bowl of iced water. After approximately 1 minute remove tomatoes one by one and peel immediately. Cut tomatoes in half, core and discard seeds.

Peel one cucumber; using a *Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 12cm Utility knife, halve both cucumbers removing and discarding seeds. Roughly chop cucumbers and tomatoes and place in a large non-reactive bowl. Finely chop onion and capsicum; add to the bowl together with garlic, salt and vinegar. Leave to stand for 5-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato juice, Tabasco sauce and ice cubes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator, season to taste with freshly ground pepper, remove and discard any unmelted ice cubes and serve immediately in individual bowls. Drizzle each serve with ½ tsp olive oil and garnish with additional diced vegetables.

NOTE: Tomatoes should be firm and juicy, with bright, unblemished skin. Choose those that give a little when squeezed and have a deep colour. The tomatoes should smell like a tomato; unripe ones have no aroma.

SERVES 8

*Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 12cm Utility Knife. RRP $115.00